Is communication a soft skill or is the most powerful tool in your armoury? In this episode of Curious Business, Nima Abu Wardeh, author of The Brilliant Communicator argues that it can easily be the difference between success and failure.

Do you deliver your message so in a way that engages your target audience? Do you resonate with what they care about so your message takes root? Speaking from her experiences as a presenter, moderator, trainer and broadcast journalist with a background in medical engineering, Nima shares crucial tips and business insights for better communication.

Listen now to learn from her "brilliant communicator" framework, the foundations that set up you up for success. She recounts real-world examples from her time presenting on BBC World and FT TV and explains the ways that people often fail to connect.

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned corporate executive, pitching to investors or inspiring your team, you'll learn how to elevate your communication skills and realise your version of success. Tune in to hear:

• The secrets of standing out and seducing the people you want to reach (with your ideas)
• How school conditions us to mis-communicate
• The misalignment that cost NASA $125m
• How companies fumble their media appearances and misunderstand their goals
• Prep, focus and land your message for maximum impact

Grab 'The Brilliant Communicator' book: - at Bookshop.org (affiliate link, supports local bookstores)

Get weekly tips from Nima, sign up for her newsletter: - at www.thebrilliantcommunicator.com

Connect with Nima: - on LinkedIn

Band logos sit at the intersection of design, culture, and belonging, and can stir up no end of passion, nostalgia, and debate. In the book Logo Rhythm, Jim K Davies and Jamie Ellul have uncovered the stories behind 93 of the best band logos (and a few solo artist logos) of the last 60 years. In this podcast, we talk about how they came about and what business branding can learn.

The book lovingly explores legendary (and not-so-legendary) bands and their legendary brands, revealing whether they were created by designers, agencies, the bands or even the drummer’s dad. It raises questions about what makes for an unforgettable logo, and identifies the marques that have influenced wider design and branding, or wound up on the t-shirts of today's pre-teens.

Tune in to learn:

• Who do they think is the best-branded band of the last seven decades
• All about the seven-year process of bringing the book into the world
• Why Taylor Swift doesn’t have a logo
• What’s so odd about The Beatles’ logo
• How do band logos fit into the current music (and design) landscape

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Buy 'Logo Rhythm' the book:

- at Bookshop.org (affiliate link)

Connect with Jim:

- Jim on LinkedIn

- Totalcontent

Connect with Jamie:

- Jamie on LinkedIn

- Supple Studios

Mentioned in this episode:

- Tat by Andy Altmann (affiliate link)

Is GenAI a revolution or merely an evolution of data-driven innovation and automation? Dan Klein has been at the forefront of data-driven tech for thirty years. From the timeless principles guiding how he helps organisations and the need to test GenAI’s output, to finding the value and championing curiosity, he provided real food for thought in this conversation with Stephen Morris.

As someone who has been working with neural networks, deep learning, automation and data-driven decision-making since the 1990s, Dan sees GenAI not as a revolution but as a continuation. Don’t go after the tech; think about how you can improve your business, focus on continuous enhancements and foster a culture that encourages small-scale innovation by those at the sharp end. He illustrates his view with references from real-world experience in the aircraft, automotive, banking, government and other sectors.

Dan believes we must champion curiosity to ensure organisations continue improving and adapting to new possibilities. However, he thinks many organisations neglect to maintain employees’ skills and use their knowledge and perspective to drive innovation. We must ensure experienced teams focus on doing what GenAI can’t – questioning, experimenting, and inventing. “The individuals who exhibit curiosity in the workplace,” he says, “always do substantially better than those who do not.”

In the rapidly advancing world of AI, curiosity stands out as a differentiator between those who will thrive and those who may be left behind.

You’ll learn:

• How GenAI can augment human decision-making
• The precursors and technological changes that paved the way for Generative AI
• What GenAI means for managers and management
• The blockers that will stop many organisations from transforming and leveraging AI
• What it means for the workforce of the future – onboarding, training and collaboration
• The intricacies of synthesising information, managing data, and making informed decisions in evolving tech landscapes

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Connect with Dan on LinkedIn.

Listen to Dan's Data Today podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify (or wherever you get your podcasts).

Join Dan for kayaking, whale watching and lots more on the beautiful shores of Lake Sunart in Scotland.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Barbara Minto 'The Pyramid Principle' (affiliate link)

W. Edwards Deming 'The Essential Deming' (affiliate link)